


Damned and Divine

by YumeArashi



Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: AU, Character Study, Demon!Aziraphale, Gen, angel!Crowley, good & evil reversed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-27
Updated: 2013-08-27
Packaged: 2017-12-24 19:45:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/943931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YumeArashi/pseuds/YumeArashi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU challenge fic, Good Omens, good & evil reversed.  Character study, Crowley as an angel and Aziraphale as a demon</p>
            </blockquote>





	Damned and Divine

Crociel was a big fan of the idea of instant karma.  And if it was unkind to generate delight in the misfortunes of others, well, it was still bad things happening to bad people so that was divine justice, right?  And of course he did the opposite as well, taking perverse delight in working with small touches, ones that would spread to the widest of audiences.  Paying for the person behind him at a drive-through, and creating a chain of people following suit.  (Not that he ever ate anything that came from a drive-through.  Please.)  Creating a story on a website about finding motivational messages on randomly placed sticky notes, prompting others to recreate the act.  Ordinary reasons to smile, tiny restorations of faith - these things counteracted all the little daily frustrations that ruined more souls than the deadliest sins.  The devil was in the details, he knew…but angels could be there too.

 

To all outward appearances, Azirael was a kindly, rather frumpy bookstore owner, as well liked as he was well known in his neighborhood.  He allowed people to come in and simply read his books, he shared tea with his regulars, and he encouraged the local children to come discover his wares.  He was already ready to lend a sympathetic ear or offer advice, and his gentle, harmless demeanor encouraged all to confide in him.  None would have guessed his true aim, as his kindly words subtly encouraged selfishness, resentment, overindulgence, entitlement, and other petty sins that over time slowly stained souls. His favorite trick was to act the concerned neighbor as he sadly bore news of a cheating spouse or a nasty lie told behind someone's back.  As he sat back and watched the ugly results unfold, he reflected that knowledge was what had ruined mankind in the Garden, and it always would.


End file.
